About Pistachios in the U.S.
 

During the 1880s, imported pistachios were popular in the USA. With immigrants from middle-eastern countries importing the popular nut.

SettonTreesThe pistachio received further distribution through vending machines installed in undergroundtrain stations, bars, restaurants and other common locations. “A dozen for a nickel” soon developed into a familiar slogan.

It was recognized that California’s Central Valley – due to its fertile soil, hot, dry climate and moderately cold winters – offered the ideal growing conditions for the nut. In 1929, American botanist William E. Whitehouse journeyed to Persia (modern day Iran) to collect pistachios. This pursuit came to a close in 1930, when he returned to the USA with a collection of approximately 20 pounds (10 kilograms) of individually selected nuts.
 
Did You Know?
 

Growers working on PistachiosPistachios are wind pollinated, as opposed to bee pollinated. Just one male tree is required to pollinate up to 30 female trees.

 

Pistachio trees take seven to 10 years to mature

There are 850 producers in the United States and the annual “farm gate value” of pistachios represents more than $1.16 billion to the California economy

PistachioBunchWEBCalifornia comprises 98.5% of the total with over 250,000 acres planted throughout 22 counties.

In only 36 years, production of pistachios has grown from 1.5 million pounds (680 tons) in 1976, to the record 2007 crop of over 415 million pounds (188,241 metric tons).

Pistachio farmers are more efficient than ever! In 2007 they grew more than 3,615 pounds per acre (on average) – Up from only 1,468 pounds per acre in 1982.

Photo Credit: Setton Farms

For more info visit American Pistachio Growers- http://americanpistachios.org/

 

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